A Brief History of the Perils of Political Wimp-hood

Yesterday's Wright-ditching press conference was for Obama what the disastrous New Hampshire debate was for Bush 41. The occasion called for Obama to take control of the issue, however belatedly. He had to be in charge. He had to be authoritative.

Instead, voters got the same Obama who slouched through that infamous Pennsylvania debate in which those meanies Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos asked him questions that weren't to his liking. Once again, Obama seemed like a defeated man. Chuck Todd described him at yesterday's press conference as "somber." Obama referred to himself as "outraged," but nothing in his manner communicated "outrage." What he looked like was a man whose political future was in jeopardy, and yet still couldn't rally himself to show some passion.